The present invention relates to an arrangement for a remote-controlled track-guided picture transmission by means of a video camera which is fastened to a movable carriage having at least one carrier wheel which supports itself on a carrier rail.
The conventional techniques for transmitting pictures, for example, at sports events, in television studios or for monitoring automated work areas, are largely limited to stationary positions of the monitoring camera so that an observation which covers more extensive course areas is possible only incompletely by means of a large number of cameras and expensive switching devices or from a high-angle perspective from poles over larger distances. In this case, the transmission usually takes place by way of very obstructing cables or without any cables by way of expensive radio equipment which, as a result of the open and radiating process, are subjected to all kinds of disturbing environmental influences, such as constructional obstacles and obstacles of the landscape, reflections, interferences, noise fields and the like. A conceivable transmission by means of laser light also requires a linear visual connection and is affected negatively by environmental conditions, such as dust, rain and fog.
It is an object of the present invention to observe objects, which are moved along a given course which may also be provided with turns and elevated areas, without any gaps at a high speed in a remote-controlled manner, without any interferences with respect to the transmission and unimpaired by cables or shadowed areas. In this case, the observing location, for changing the perspective, is to be changed arbitrarily, moving in front of or behind the object to be observed, in which case, the picture transmission camera may take up arbitrary spatial angles of rotation, and the lens adjustments can be adjusted in a remote-controlled manner.
Based on an arrangement of the initially mentioned type, this object is achieved according to preferred embodiments of the invention by providing a remote-controlled track-guided picture transmission by means of a video camera which is fastened to a movable carriage having at least one carrier wheel which supports itself on a carrier rail, comprising a movable carriage carrying:
a drive for the carrier wheel, PA1 a control arrangement for the drive, PA1 an inductive scanning device which is assigned to the drive, for the position control and location control, PA1 a manipulator for the video camera, PA1 a transmitting and receiving apparatus for the remote-controlled signals, PA1 an antenna for the receiving and transmitting of the signals, and PA1 at least one guide roller, and stationary supporting structure including: PA1 at least one guide rail on which the guide rollers are supported, and PA1 a slotted wave guide in which the antenna of the carriage engages. PA1 the course monitoring of sports events, such as horse races, track and field athletics, ice racing, motorcycle racing, car racing (preferably for segments of courses at which the cameras are to change their location), ski racing with blind stretches; PA1 the moving along backdrops of television studios; PA1 the following of vehicles or flying objects in expansive testing facilities with camera panning by driving behind and adjusting the angles; PA1 the visual and, if necessary acoustical monitoring of security areas or danger areas, such as driving along fences or borders of airports, power plants, industrial facilities, and atomic research facilities; PA1 the monitoring of automated working areas either in mining (where the longitudinal stator drive is preferred because of a reduced danger of explosion), in industrial manufacturing areas; and PA1 monitoring in hospitals, for example, of large intensive care stations with little personnel, in which case a visual monitoring and querying can take place of measuring apparatuses, infusion devices, and the like.
The invention permits a remote-controlled moving along extensive sports, testing, industrial facilities and the like which have turns, elevated areas etc., directly next to the object to be observed, also at high speeds up to approximately 200 km/h, in which case the advantage is achieved that a space-saving, cost-effective arrangement of the carrier rail of the slotted wave guide and of the conductor rails or of the longitudinal stator is ensured which is adapted to the course of a route to be observed up to radii of approximately 1 m. The bidirectional transmission technique by means of the slotted wave guide known per se which is free of cables and contacts and is completely independent of environmental influences and is therefore free of interferences and which is possible at arbitrary driving speeds, and the fastening of the carrier rails and conductor rails or of the longitudinal stator drive permits a continuous monitoring and observation, which is free of errors, of stationary or moved objects, such as
Since, according to the invention, the supporting structure is constructed of module-type elements or sections which have standard dimensions, the structure may be adapted to vertical bends as well as to horizontal bends, in which case holding arrangements are provided at given distances which connect the individual supporting structure sections with one another. In order to compensate temperature differences, expansion-compensating members may also be integrated.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.